tessie and russell johnson held on tight to each other as the twister roared through. it lasted for just a short time? >> yeah, about 30 seconds. that's all it took. >> we were saying i love you a lot. >> yeah. >> reporter: this family also lucky to be alive. ashley and rick, a football coach at this high school, had family over for christmas. suddenly, the skies darkened. s took everybody along with you? >> they thought i was crazy. >> reporter: fleeing into the school's field house. not the christmas you anticipated? >> you kind of forgot it was christmas for awhile. >> reporter: and when that family finally emerged from that shelter just over there, this is what they saw. six class rooms e vice rated. perhaps this tornado left behind one christmas gift. no deaths. >> that is the good part of the story. matt gutman, thank you. >>> we're going to move on this evening and head out west to a kind of extraordinary sight. one week after we explored solutions to the gun violence in this country, tonight, look at this. lines of cars, some stretching for blocks, people with